


Over the Hills and Far Away

by cordeliadelayne



Category: Primeval
Genre: Alien Abduction, Community: primeval_denial, Drama, Fix-It, Getting Together, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-02
Updated: 2018-02-02
Packaged: 2019-03-12 19:16:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13553847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cordeliadelayne/pseuds/cordeliadelayne
Summary: Aliens didn't make them do it.





	Over the Hills and Far Away

**Author's Note:**

> Written for primeval_denial's fix-it challenge

The last thing Stephen remembered was Cutter's face, the last thing he held on to was that he was making everything right, and then all he remembered was a bright light, brighter than any anomaly he'd ever seen. And then nothing.

He didn't lose consciousness, he was certain of that and it wasn't dark or black or anything, it was just nothing.

And then nothing, and then nothing, until there was something. He couldn't work out what it was at first but then he realised that it was the breeze making the hairs on his arms stand to attention. It wasn't long after that that he realised he was completely naked.

* * * * *

“Stephen? Stephen, can you hear me?”

Stephen slowly became aware of the voice next to his ear. At first he thought they were shouting, then he realised they were whispering. And then he realised that he recognised the voice.

“So I'm dead then,” he said, voice sounding loud to his own ears.

“If only.”

It took Stephen a few moments to acknowledge that the voice was apparently real and then to sit up, helped by the dead man he knew as Captain Tom Ryan.

“Welcome to the Thunderdome,” Ryan said.

Stephen blinked. “What?...What is happening?”

“It'll be easier if I show you. You think you can walk?”

Stephen nodded and let Ryan, or at least the person that looked and talked very much like Ryan, help him towards the round window of the room.

“Is that...?”

“Earth?” Ryan asked. “Yes. Yes, it is.”

“Okay,” Stephen said, and then promptly fainted.

* * * * *

When he came back to consciousness it was with Ryan again by his side talking what turned out to be pleasing nonsense and the realisation that he was no longer naked. Stephen took a few moments to appreciate the voice of an old friend, even if he was an obvious figment of Stephen's addled brain and then forced himself to sit up.

“Welcome back,” Ryan said.

“Tell me this isn't real.”

“I'd love to. Unfortunately...” Ryan trailed off and shrugged.

“You've been here this whole time?”

Ryan nodded. “One minute I was facing down a future predator, and the next...I was waking up here, just like you did.”

“And...” Stephen waved around the room. It was a silvery-blue colour with curved ceilings that made it look like they were sitting in the middle of an egg. There didn't appear to be a door, just a window, the table Stephen woke up on and the chair that Ryan was sitting in.

“I haven't seen them, they just talk through that.”

Ryan pointed to a small silver box that Stephen hadn't noticed by the window.

“Are they...aliens?” Stephen asked, not quite believing that this was a conversation he was actually having.

“They said they weren't from Earth, but other than that they haven't told me anything.”

“Okay,” Stephen said. “Okay.” Then he leaned forward and put his head between his knees and was grateful when Ryan rubbed his back until he sat up. “Have you tried leaving?”

Ryan snorted. “No, it never occurred to me.”

Stephen huffed an apology. “Sorry, that was a dumb question.”

Ryan patted Stephen's leg. “I've tried the window, tried finding a door, tried smashing up the chair. Every time I do they just wait until I can't keep awake any more and then when I wake up again the chair is always fixed and there's always food and drink waiting.”

“And you've been here all this time?”

Ryan looked away then. “I tried to keep count, but um...”

“About a year,” Stephen said, quietly.

Ryan nodded to himself, as if confirming the working of his internal clock. “And what did for you?”

Stephen took a deep breath and filled Ryan in on everything, not sparing the talk about Helen and his betrayal of Cutter, the breakdown of the team, all the things that cut most deep.

When he was done Ryan pulled him into a hug and he realised that he'd been sobbing more than talking for the last few minutes.

“It's just the adrenaline,” Ryan said. “You'd prepared yourself for death and well...I can't say this is much better but we're not dead.”

“Are you sure?” Stephen asked, moving away from Ryan with some embarrassment. He'd always had a bit of a crush on the soldier and close proximity wasn't exactly helping matters. Ryan pretended not to notice.

“I can't be 100% sure, but 99.9% of me thinks we've been abducted by aliens.”

“Okay,” Stephen said, and then he started to laugh, realising even as he did so that hysteria was threatening to take over. His sanity was only saved because Ryan soon joined in.

* * * * * *

It didn't take long for Stephen to completely lose track of time. Their home was now a small silver room with curved walls, a chair, a surprisingly comfortable metal table/bed with pillow but no covers and the window through which they could see the Earth.

“How have you managed to keep sane?” Stephen asked.

“Push-ups,” Ryan replied and Stephen started to smile until he realised that Ryan was being serious.

“Push-ups?”

“Keeping a routine is key. At first I was preparing in case they attacked, or tortured me but they haven't really done anything except feed me.”

“What do they look like?”

“Never seen them. The tray of food and drink gets pushed through the wall...hang on, like that.”

Stephen looked to where Ryan was pointing and watched a tray laden with food and drink slide through the wall that resorted back to solid as soon as the tray was safely through. Stephen jumped up and went to where the tray was, running his fingers down along the wall, trying to find any catch or hinge he could get hold of, but it was all just perfectly smooth.

“I stopped trying after a while,” Ryan said. “Seemed better to conserve my energy.”

Stephen turned towards Ryan. “So aside from push-ups what else have you been doing?”

“I tried to figure out where exactly we are using the stars,” Ryan said, motioning towards the window, “but either I've lost all my navigational knowledge or we never stay in one place for long. Then I – I tried talking out loud to them but I never got a response. I tried thinking about books and TV...and then I just made a work-out schedule and kept to it, tiring myself out and sleeping when I could. The foods not bad. I considered if it might be poisoned but I figured why would they go to this much trouble just to kill me? Unless they've been feeding me hallucinogenics and you're just a figment of my imagination....”

Stephen moved closer to Ryan who was now seated on the floor, his back to the window. He kneeled down next to him and put a hand on his leg.

“I'm not an hallucination,” he said. “I'm pretty sure.”

Ryan smiled and Stephen's heart beat faster and then they divvied up the food before it went cold.

* * * * *

“You should get some sleep,” Ryan said, the second time Stephen tried to hide his yawn. Stephen opened his mouth to protest, but only yawned instead.

“You might have a point.”

They both looked at the bed.

“It doesn't look it,” Ryan said, “but it's pretty comfortable.”

Stephen decided to take Ryan's word for it but first...”Um, toilet?”

“Oh, yeah.” Ryan leaned down and removed a bucket from underneath the bed and a small roll of toilet paper. “Don't ask me how but it gets cleaned out ever night. I'll uh...”

Stephen waited until Ryan was looking out of the window with his back to the room before self-consciously dropping his trousers and doing what he had to. They had to presume that the aliens were watching their every move but this was the first time the embarrassment had made him squirm.

He realised he had no way of washing his hands so wiped himself as clean as he could with the toilet paper and then put the bucket back under the bed. He couldn't imagine how bad this must have been for Ryan, all alone, for over a year.

“I'm glad you're here,” he said and Ryan turned to frown at him. “I mean, I wouldn't want to do this alone.”

Ryan nodded and then turned back to the window. Stephen hopped onto the bed and tried to make himself comfortable.

“Good night, Stephen,” Ryan said.

Stephen had been going to suggest that Ryan sleep on the bed too, but there was a finality in Ryan's voice that made him reconsider.

* * * * *

_His touch was sure, his gun calloused fingers trailing along Stephen's cock, and taking a firm hold he started to move his hand and Stephen couldn't stay still any longer, desperately chasing his orgasm..._

“Stephen! Stephen! _Stephen!”_

Stephen woke up with a start, dream fingers still on his cock, his eyes wide and unfocused as Ryan grabbed his arm to keep him from falling off the bed and he started to come, his body shaking with the most intense orgasm he'd ever had.

When he'd finished, shaky and embarrassed and sticky Ryan was sitting awkwardly in the chair next to the bed.

“I'm sorry...”

“I should have warned you..”

“What?” Stephen asked, as Ryan spoke over him.

“I just...I wasn't sure if it was just me. But ever since my first night here I've been having some pretty intense dreams.”

“Sex...sex dreams?” Stephen asked. He could still feel dream!Ryan's fingers on him, feel the kisses and bites on his neck.

“Yes.” He looked up at Stephen and then away again, quickly. “Sorry.”

“So, aliens, huh?”

Ryan snorted a surprised laugh “I don't know. I guess this is what they wanted.”

“You think...you think they'll let us go now?”

Ryan shrugged and looked around the room. “It could just be us, of course.”

Stephen licked his lips. “What do you, what do you mean?”

“There is no way you're as oblivious as Cutter, Stephen. I wanted you the moment I set eyes on you, but I thought you were in love with Cutter.”

Stephen pulled a face. “Ugh, are you kidding? He's – he was my best friend but there is no way in hell...”

Stephen stopped speaking as Ryan kissed him, his hand on the back of his neck sending shivers down Stephen's spine. They drew apart when the wall behind them began to creak.

“What the hell?” Stephen asked. Ryan pulled Stephen off the bed and grabbed the only weapon that came to hand – their discarded dinner tray.

They watched, curiously, as the wall behind them shifted and opened up into another living space. This time with a large bed and a kitchen area.

“No,” Ryan said up at the ceiling. “Absolutely, no fucking way. You let us out, and you let us out now.” He looked over at Stephen who nodded his agreement, the dream sex had been horrifying enough knowing that potentially hundreds of creatures could be watching. And if they gave in to the other room they'd never be getting out of there.

Nothing seemed to be happening at first and then Stephen became aware of the light getting brighter. Ryan must have realised too because he suddenly grabbed Stephen's hand and held on tight as the light continued to grow brighter, so bright that closing their eyes did nothing to protect them and then someone was screaming.

And then nothing but silence.

* * * * *

When Stephen came back to himself he realised that he and Ryan were still holding hands and they were lying on grass in the open air. He didn't move for several minutes, just enjoying the fresh air. He hadn't realised when they'd been in space just how artificial the air had been and now he was reminded anew why he loved being outdoors so much.

Ryan squeezed his hand once but otherwise seemed as content as Stephen to enjoy being outside, wherever that might be. It was only when they heard the growling that they slowly attempted to move. Thankfully the smilodon was too interested in another smilodon to pay them any mind so they were able to back away and try to work out where they were.

“So, you're the expert...” Ryan started to say, but was cut off by a loud shout to their right. They turned and saw Connor followed by several soldiers running towards them. Ryan blinked, not recognising anyone but Connor, but couldn't help smiling as Connor grabbed hold of Stephen and started babbling and shouting and pointing but without actually making proper words.

“Aliens,” Stephen said once Connor had taken a breath.

Connor's eyes went wide and then he leaned down and put his head between his legs.

* * * * *

They were taken back through the anomaly under armed guard and put into immediate isolation. Once there they were subjected to all sorts of medical tests which had Ryan loudly wishing he were back under alien jurisdiction. Eventually, when it was proven without doubt that Ryan and Stephen were the original specimen, they were let out of the isolation ward.

Cutter was waiting for them when they came out of their rooms and before Stephen had the chance to brace himself Cutter was pulling him into a rib-crushing hug.

“He's going to need to breathe at some point,” Ryan pointed out and Cutter sheepishly moved back a little but still kept his hands on Stephen's arms.

“You - you – you...” Cutter said but seemed incapable of finishing his sentence.

“Yeah, me,” Stephen said, smiling softly. “I'm sorry.”

“Don't you dare apologise to me,” Cutter said, seeming to snap back into himself. “Come on, Jenny has tea waiting.”

* * * * *

Ryan and Stephen found themselves in the canteen where a table had been laid out with M&S cakes and biscuits. Jenny poured them strong mugs of tea and they started on the first of many explanations of what had happened.

“Well, at least we have a plan for aliens,” Lester said, and went off to deep in the bowels of somewhere to inform the relevant authorities.

* * * * *

Finally, once it had been established that neither Ryan nor Stephen had anywhere to live any more they were bundled home to Cutter's house. There were pizza boxes, take away cartons, dirty mugs, and half-empty whiskey bottles everywhere.

“I've seen it a lot worse,” Stephen whispered to Ryan, as Cutter started to tidy up.

* * * * *

Cutter had two spare rooms, both looking like they hadn't seen a hoover in months. By silent agreement Ryan and Stephen tidied up both rooms, Stephen finding the spare covers where they'd always been kept and shooing Cutter off to the kitchen to do the washing up.

When they were finished both bedrooms would have done a Sandhurst cadet proud.

“How are you doing?” Stephen finally asked, ruining their hard work by sitting down on the bed.

Ryan sighed and then flopped down onto the bed next to Stephen, pushing his legs against Stephen's.

“I'd forgotten how loud the world was,” Ryan said. He rubbed his hands along his trousers until Stephen put his hands over them to stop him hurting himself.

“Does it feel real to you?” Stephen asked.

Ryan shook his head. “No. Not yet. No bullshit excuses, though, Stephen. We go see the counsellor tomorrow.”

“What makes you think I wasn't going to?”

Ryan just looked at Stephen until Stephen turned away.

“I probably was going to go,” Stephen said eventually.

“No excuses,” Ryan said.

* * * * *

They went to bed in their separate beds but at some point during the night Stephen heard Ryan calling out and went to calm him down. When Cutter found them the next day they were curled around each other; he left cups of tea on the side table and then went downstairs to make them breakfast.

Just as he did every day for the next four months, until they found a home of their own.  



End file.
